Bible Commentaries
1 Kings 11

Verse 1

11:1 But king Solomon loved many {a} strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, [and] Hittites;

(a) Who were idolaters.

Verse 3

11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred {b} concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

(b) To whom belonged no dowry.

Verse 4

11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not {c} perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father.

(c) He did not serve God with a pure heart.

Verse 5

11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after {d} Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

(d) Who was also called Molech in 1 Kings 11:7. See also 2 Kings 23:10.

Verse 7

11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the {e} abomination of Moab, in the hill that [is] before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

(e) Thus the scripture calls whatever man reveres and serves as God.

Verse 11

11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as {f} this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

(f) That you have forsaken me and worshipped idols.

Verse 13

11:13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; [but] will give one {g} tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.

(g) Because the tribes of Judah and Benjamin had their possessions mixed, they are here taken as one tribe.

Verse 14

11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he [was] of the king’s {h} seed in Edom.

(h) Of the king of Edom’s stock.

Verse 15

11:15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the {i} slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

(i) Of the Edomites.

Verse 17

11:17 That Hadad {k} fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad [being] yet a little child.

(k) Thus God reserved this idolater as scourge to punish his people’s sins.

Verse 19

11:19 And Hadad {l} found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.

(l) God brought him honour, that his power might be more able to compass his enterprises against Solomon’s house.

Verse 23

11:23 And God stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which {m} fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

(m) When David had defeated Hadadezer and his army.

Verse 24

11:24 And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them [of Zobah]: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, {n} and reigned in Damascus.

(n) That is, the men whom he had gathered to him.

Verse 28

11:28 And the man Jeroboam [was] a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him {o} ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

(o) He was overseer of Solomon’s works for the tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Verse 30

11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that [was] on him, and {p} rent it [in] twelve pieces:

(p) By these visible signs the prophets would more deeply print their message into the hearts of those to whom they were sent.

Verse 36

11:36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a {q} light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

(q) He refers to the Messiah, who would be the bright star that would shine through all the world.

Verse 39

11:39 And I will {r} for this afflict the seed of David, {s} but not for ever.

(r) For this idolatry that Solomon has committed.

(s) For the whole spiritual kingdom was restored in the Messiah.

Verse 41

11:41 And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, [are] they not written in the {t} book of the acts of Solomon?

(t) Which it is thought was lost in their captivity.